


Custom

by capt_eli



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Cultural Differences, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-03
Updated: 2014-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-07 08:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1892532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capt_eli/pseuds/capt_eli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What’s something different about Dalmasca? Something you had to get used to?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Custom

**Author's Note:**

> There was a post on Tumblr about platonic kissing and I starting thinking. "What if Landissers do that?" And this was born.
> 
> They're young here, about 18 or 20.

Dalmasca has little in common with Landis, Basch is learning. In Landis, wearing clothing like this would be impractical at best, and in some cases, indecent. In Landis, it was never this hot and Basch envies how easily his Dalmascan colleagues ignore the heat. In Landis, it was considered normal to greet friends and family with a kiss. Not so in Dalmasca.

He misses his home. He misses Noah, but then he would push the thoughts out of his head because they would become too much. It’s easy finding something else to focus on. There’s always work to be done in the infantry, training to complete. It’s after the day was over when there’s nothing left to do; that’s when the thoughts come back. So Basch is grateful for nights like this when he could be distracted by his comrades around a low fire.

Basch is not the only foreigner on Dalmascan sand and the locals in the unit like asking about their homelands. Basch can talk about Landis well enough, if he doesn’t let his mind wander. Vossler is the only in their company that knows of Noah and will tend to push Basch back into focus when he drifts off. For that, Basch is thankful.

“What’s something different about Dalmasca? Something you had to get used to?”

The Rozarrian, the only in their company, speaks up first. “The food!”

Laughter raises and a playfully defensive Dalmascan demands to know what’s wrong with the food. The Rozarrian laughs again and waves his hand as he often does. “Too much sand in it!”

“What? I like the sand!” Vossler calls out. Everyone laughs again and Basch leans over on one side, grin wide on his face. Vossler nudges him roughly. “What about you? What’s different from Landis?”

“And don’t say snow or trees!” someone called out. Some people chuckle.

Basch rubs his chin in a show of thinking. He wants to say something that isn’t obvious, something interesting. One thought surfaces and he says it before his brain can catch up. “I have to remember not to kiss everyone.”

The group is silent for a moment before everyone but Basch bursts out in raucous laughter. Basch realizes what that sounded like and feels his ears heat up. One Dalmascan catches his breath long enough to say, “I didn’t know Landissers were like that! I thought Rozarrians were the horny ones!”

“Fuck you!” the Rozarrian laughs.

Basch sits up and waits for them to quiet down. “It’s not like that!”

There’s a wolf whistle from somewhere Basch can’t place and Vossler must notice his friend’s blush because he calls the group to order. “Hey, give him a chance to explain!” They quiet but keep their grins and look to Basch for an explanation.

He takes a second to collect his thoughts. No need to make this worse. “In Landis, you greet friends and family with a kiss. It’s just what we do.” He shrugs. “But here I can’t do that because people get the wrong idea, like all you jackasses,” he adds with a grin.

A few of their company make a playful, offended noise. Vossler suddenly slings his arm around Basch’s neck and yanks him close. Basch makes a startled noise and his fingers scrape the sand uselessly when he tries to push himself up and out of the hold. He hates it when Vossler does this.

“Don’t worry, Basch,” he says loud in the Landisser’s ear. “You can kiss me anytime you like!” To prove it, Vossler presses a big kiss on Basch’s temple with an exaggerated noise. The men laugh again and Basch finally manages to push Vossler’s thick arm off of him. He’s grinning victoriously and Basch grins back.

“Except in Landis we typically kiss on the mouth.”

Vossler’s grin falters and his eyebrows furrow a bit, trying to decide if Basch is joking or not. Basch puckers his lips with a loud smooch and the laughter rises again, louder than before. Basch joins them and Vossler grins, pushing Basch’s face away. It’s a good night.


End file.
